Parents are our anchor to this world, and we would be so lost without them. Not having their support during our budding years would be like being left in the dark to fend for ourselves. After all, it can be a big, scary place to figure out.
Speaking of parents, this woman was devastated after discovering that her ex had no intention of being a present father for their newborn whatsoever. While his infidelity had cut deep, the way he rejected a 50/50 custody of their son hurt her more than anything! Here’s what happened…
More info: Reddit
Rejection can hurt terribly, especially if it comes from a parent who is supposed to love you
The poster's cheating husband left her when she was pregnant, and after she had their baby, he demanded for "less custody"
He rejected the 50-50 custody, which was the law in their state, and he was willing to pay child support rather than be the primary caregiver
The poster clarified that she had not baby-trapped him, as the two had done an IUI fertility treatment, and even considered adoption
After 4 years, she updated that he had only met their son 4 times and hadn't paid child support even once as the court had ordered him to
Moreover, he also moved to a different state, 2,500 miles away from them, without informing her, and she was extremely furious
The poster was still in therapy and felt bad for her son, who would grow up to realize that his dad didn't care about him
In today’s episode of people shirking responsibility, the original poster (OP) vents her frustrations about her ex. The couple got an IUI fertility treatment to have a baby, and he was also considering adoption if it didn’t work. However, when she got pregnant, he cheated and left her. While that hurt her a lot, what followed utterly shattered our lady.
After their baby was born, he asked for less custody and visitation. According to their state law, parents split it 50-50 unless there is neglect, illegal substance use, or some other issue involved. Despite being aware of the law, the guy rejected it and claimed he only wanted the child every other weekend. He just didn’t want to be the primary caregiver.
In fact, he was more willing to pay child support than actually be present in their son’s life, and his negligence stumped the poster. Well, the court couldn’t force him to care for his child, and the OP felt awful for the kid. She gave an update after a long time and shared how things went from bad to worse, as the man had only met their son 4 times in 4 years.
She felt broken that soon, their son would be able to understand that his dad didn’t even want him. Also, our lady was furious when her ex moved to another state, 2,500 miles away, without telling her. The author also clarified that he had not paid the child support even once that the court had ordered him to, and the poor woman was still in therapy because of him.
I can’t even fathom what the author went through, as her postpartum phase was coupled with the grief from her ex cheating and leaving her. Sadly enough, studies point out that 10% of fathers-to-be cheat on their partners during pregnancy. In fact, the risk of men cheating on their wives grows along with the fetus, and being satisfied with their marriages doesn’t make much of a difference.
Moreover, experts emphasize that “pregnancy is a time of physical and emotional transformation, but for some women, it becomes a painful period due to a partner’s cheating. Infidelity at this stage can have long-lasting consequences, impacting a woman’s mental health, trust, and even her pregnancy itself.” Also, she had to deal with the custody battle while postpartum.
Research states that during the postpartum period, about 85% of women experience some type of mood disturbance. For most, the symptoms are mild and short-lived; however, 10 to 15% of women develop serious mental health challenges. All her rage and frustration about the guy is totally justified. It’s awful that she’s been in therapy for so many years, while he’s still causing her more damage.
Netizens couldn’t help but feel for their child as well. I mean, it can sting to know that parents don’t want us, no matter how old we get. Alas, some people are too narcissistic to care about anyone but themselves. Anyway, dear readers, that’s it from our end. We want to hear your thoughts on the story, so feel free to jot them down in the comments below!
Peeps online showered the poster with a lot of love and strength because of all the trauma that she went through alone
